Popularity and Structure?
Interesting to see these two items as categories for software choice...
Just want to suggest that we are not too quick to equate popularity with
quality in this or any market. Product quality certainly can play a
role in popularity, but it is by no means the only factor. Issues like
marketing can also play a critical role. Sometimes we find a perfect
relationship between quality and popularity at one extreme and radical
disappointment at the other extreme...when the Ford Pinto was introduced
to the US auto market - people loved it. They looked less favorably on
it however when it exploded on impact in a collision. By NO means do I
intend to imply that the most popular program will explode in your
face...just a dramatic transition to urge interaction with programs
before decisions are reached.
Let me STRONGLY suggest that at minimum you play with a demo version of
at least 3 qualitative data analysis packages before purchase. Include
a package you don't think you want - because you might just be
surprised. AND as FYI - we continue to find that one of the most
important determinants in software choice is VERY individualized and not
tied to either popularity or structure but rather comfort with
interaction with a program - direct experience with a program has to
determine this.
As for structured code lists...NUD*IST4 and WinMAX certainly default to
an interface that easily accommodates structured codes - but it is
neither hard to use structured codes in an of the other packages or to
avoid a structured code outline in either NUD*IST4 or WinMAX
program...be careful to not label a package as suiting one style or
another too quickly.
All major software packages are much more flexible than they may first
appear and individualized choice is critical...remember it is not just
what you can do with a package, but the positive and negative ways a
package affects your thinking about data that should determine choice.
Raymond C. Maietta, Ph.D., President
ResearchTalk, Inc.
1650 Sycamore Ave, Suite 53
Bohemia, NY 11716
Phone - 631 218-8875
Fax - 631 218-8873
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